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Sarah's Law

A scheme piloted in the West Midlands allowing parents to check if sex offenders live near them is being rolled out nationwide.

Sarah's Law - named after Sarah Payne, the 8-year old girl murdered by a convicted sex offender ten years ago - was trialled in four parts of England.

It will be extended in 2011.

It's thought the pilot - a watered-down version of laws in the United States where details of where convicted paedophiles live are actively publicised - may have protected more than 60 children here from becoming victims of abuse.

Our force weren't involved in the original pilot scheme but West Midlands Police have confirmed they will be one of the first 18 forces to take part in the rollout before it goes fully national.

The Home Office say one in 10 calls to police under the pilot uncovered the hidden criminal past of someone with access to a child, while the largest number of queries came from fathers worried about their ex-partner's new boyfriend.

The scheme will see every one of tens of thousands of registered sex offenders contacted by officers, over fears they may be subjected to public vilification.

Paul West, from the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "The very fact that a good number of children have been safeguarded as a result of members of the public coming forward, speaks for itself."

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